


Casimir Pulaski Day

by SassyStrider



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Bone cancer, Lyricstuck, M/M, Sadstuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 09:45:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2265024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyStrider/pseuds/SassyStrider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Dave, I-I am truly sorry to say that J-John has bone cancer. H-h-he may not have long to li-" I drop the phone, my eyes wide and my eyes damp. No. No, John shouldn't have that. What did John ever do? The tears fall down my face as I fall to my knees. My beloved boyfriend has less than a year to live. He has bone cancer.<br/>- Excerpt from Chapter 1</p><p>Song this is based off of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxMYqsvgX8c</p>
            </blockquote>





	Casimir Pulaski Day

**Author's Note:**

> This song is a bit confusing for me, so I'm sorry if I mess some things up! This is based off of the song "Casimir Pulaski Day" by Sufjan Stevens

_"Golden rod and the 4-H stone_   
_The things I brought you_   
_When I found out you had cancer of the bone_

_Your father cried on the telephone_   
_And he drove his car to the navy yard_   
_Just to prove that he was sorry"_

 

My phone rings, chiming out the familiar tone that could only be Mr. Egbert. Huh, he doesn't call me very much. I wonder what he wants. I pick up the phone and press the answer button. "Sup Mr. Egbert." Sobs fill my ear next, instead of the velvety voice of John's father. "Mr. Egbert? You okay?"

"Dave, I-I am truly sorry to say that J-John has bone cancer. H-h-he may not have long to li-" I drop the phone, my eyes wide and my eyes damp. No. No, John shouldn't have that. What did John ever do? The tears fall down my face as I fall to my knees. My beloved boyfriend has less than a year to live. He has bone cancer. I need a minute. Using my left hand, I pick the phone back up and bring it to my ear.

"Mr. Egbert, thank you so much for telling me this and...and....I am truly sorry that this happened to John. I understand that he is your precious son." My voice wavers as I speak to him, and I hear him sobbing even more over the phone.

"Goodbye, David." He manages to choke out the last few words before I hear the click of the phone call ending. I fall to the futon and curl in on myself, lamenting and screaming as the tears stain the futon. John was going to die. He has bone cancer. He will be gone. He will be gone. He will be gone.  _He will be gone._ I can't take it.

I get up and go outside to find some things I want to give to John. Maybe it'll help him...

I doubt it.

* * *

 

The next morning, I ring John's doorbell, and no one answers. I just decide to open the door myself, since they probably know that I'm not a stranger, especially because I established a certain knock, so they'd know it was me.

I walk over to John, who's sitting by the window, and set down a goldenrod flower and a 4-h stone for him on the bedside table next to him. Both symbol good luck, and I thought that maybe these would give him enough luck that this all goes away, or maybe his cancer could be treated...

 

_"In the morning through the window shade_   
_When the light pressed up against your shoulder blade_   
_I could see what you were reading_

_Oh, the glory that the Lord has made_   
_And the complications you could do without_   
_When I kissed you on the mouth"_

 

I can see he's reading a book about bone cancer, and the tear streaks on his face are still there. Pushing the book down onto his lap, I kiss him, and he makes a undignified noise, but kisses back and circles his arms around me in a hug. 

"Hey, John." I sit on the chair next to the bed and lean over to kiss all over him, just wanting him to feel better, as well as to make myself feel better. We don't have much time left, and even then, we don't know  _how_ much time we have left.

"Hi, Dave." He gulps as he tries to swallow down tears, but I touch his face with the back of my hand gently, letting him know that it's okay to cry. When I do that, the tears come almost immediately, and he hangs his head as he sobs.

"Hey now, don't worry. Everything's goin' to be alright, mmkay? I'm not gonna let some fuckin' disease force me to let go of you." I try to hug him the best I can, although it's hard when he's in this medical bed and I can't lean against it to much or even sit on it. 

"But how can you say those stupid lies, Dave? Everything's  _not_ going to be alright! This isn't some fucking fairy tale where I'll get healed and we'll live in a giant castle. I know you're going through denial, okay?" He takes off my glasses and looks at me with pleading eyes. "And sure, I'll be in denial with you, because it's almost a necessity and I don't want to die sad anyway. But don't just forget that this is very much real and that I'm going to go, alright?" 

Tears cloud my vision as I look at him, and slowly nod, trying to hug him and weeping into his sky blue hospital shirt. He pets my hair and I feel relief at his touch.

* * *

 

_"Tuesday night at the Bible study_   
_We lift our hands and pray over your body_   
_But nothing ever happens"_

 

Mr. Egbert and I drive to Bible study and when we arrive there, we pray for John, and hope he gets better. We try not to cry, but a few stray tears slip out of us. I'm pretty sure this won't help John or do anything at all, but Mr. Egbert insisted, and I have nothing to lose anyway, so I went. 

"Oh dear God, please let John's bone cancer be healed. He doesn't deserve to die. He's almost always nice, and he's the best boyfriend I could ever ask for. He always goes to church, and he helps out Jade and Rose when they're in trouble so please, help him out. If I have to sacrifice something, I'll do it. Maybe even myself, who knows. Just let John live." I pray with my soft voice, trying so hard not to plead and mess this up.

"Dear God, please let my son live. He's a good kid, and always does his homework. He might be somewhat of a trickster, but he is goodhearted and tries to be polite when he can. Yes, sometimes he may be a bit rude, but he is yet to become a full-fledged adult. Even at the age of eighteen and a half, he is still my child, and forever my child he shall be. Please let his bone cancer be healed." Mr. Egbert's voice lacks the joy it usually has as it takes on a soft, deep tone.

After Bible Study, we drive back home, and I flop down onto my bed, still praying in my head, hoping that it will help this whole ordeal.

 

_"I remember at Michael's house_   
_In the living room when you kissed my neck_   
_And I almost touched your blouse_

_In the morning at the top of the stairs_   
_When your father found out what we did that night_   
_And you told me you were scared"_

 

As I'm lying on my bed, I start to remember things. Like that one time at Rose's house a while ago when he started kissing my neck and almost gave me a hickey, and I was tempted to reach into his pants. After Rose left to go do something in the house with Jade, we made out and things got...pretty steamy. John got fucked, he was forced to be quiet... Thankfully Rose and Jade never found out what happened. Well, maybe they knew and never told to keep things from getting awkward.

However, the next morning, it turns out that Mr. Egbert had arrived to tell John something and he noticed John with messed up hair and the hickey I left. John quickly ran back upstairs and I soon joined him. While we were in the bedroom, he was shivering, knowing his father wouldn't like the fact that I had sex with him. 

 

_"Oh, the glory when you ran outside_   
_With your shirt tucked in and your shoes untied_   
_And you told me not to follow you"_

 

He told me he had a plan, and not to follow him or his examples. After a minute, he ran outside and past his father after brushing his hair and straightening his clothes, putting on a fake smile.

* * *

I smile at the memory, and how funny the entire situation was. However, the happiness doesn't last long when I realize I won't ever get to do these types of things with John again. I shove my face into my pillow and lament, the tears finding their way into my eyes again and then into my pillow. 


End file.
